Acoustica unveils the latest version of its PC DAW

Thanks to its new audio engine, Mixcraft 8 now offers sidechaining and VST3 plugin support

NAMM 2017: Acoustica's affordable and surprisingly powerful PC DAW has made the jump to version 8, bringing with it a raft of tempting new features and "extensive user interface improvements".

The least glamorous but perhaps biggest change has been made under the hood, with the introduction of a new audio engine, offering "increased flexibility for insert effect and send tracks", and "extensive delay compensation". Said engine has also enabled the implementation of internal sidechaining and the related Audio Control feature, "allowing audio signals to control dozens of instrument and effect parameters", as well as support for VST3 plugins.

There's more: Mixcraft 8 ushers in global automation recording, the ability to record directly to grid locations in the Performance Panel, and an improved browser with integrated access to Freesound.org. Its quirky bundle of first- and third-party instruments and effects has been bolstered, too, with the addition of G-Sonique's DTC-1 compressor, the EU PromixEQ-10A mastering EQ, Epralux's ORB7000 Octave Reverb, Kastelheimer's Veldberg XD synth and Celemony's Melodyne Essentials.

Mixcraft 8 is available now in two versions: Mixcraft 8 Recording Studio ($89) and Mixcraft 8 Pro Studio ($179). Recording Studio includes 28 plugin effects and 15 virtual instruments, while Pro Studio goes large with 56 effects and 21 instruments -"$1250 worth of plugins", apparently. Find out more and make it yours on the Acoustica website.

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